Corn planter



A. E. FORSYTH March 13, 1928.

CORN PLANTER Filed. Oct. 11. 19122 6 Sheets-Sheet l A. E. FORSYTH March13, 1928.

CORN PLANTER n 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OG'L. l1. 1922 March 13, 1928.1,662,307

A. E. FORSYTH CORN PLANTER Filed oct. 11, 1922 e sheets-sheet 5 A. E.FORSYTH March 13, 1928.

CORN PLANTER Filed. Oct.

Sheets-Sheet 4 March 13 1928. 1,662,307

` A. EFORSYTH CORN PLANTER Filed Oct. 11. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 March13, 192s. v 1,662,307

A. E. FoRsYTH v CORN PLANTER Filed oct. 11. lez 6 sheets-sheet 6 /f iwf4 .y

Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORN PLANTER.

Application filed October l1, 1922. Serial No. 593,872.

This invention relates to improvements in corn planters, and the objectsof the inven-l tion are to provide a checkrow machine oi simple,efficient and inexpensive construction for planting corn anddistributing fertilizer in regulated quantities and at equally spacedintervals.

Further objects are to provide a machine for sowingthe corn in hillsequally spaced il) and aligned in every direction similar to achecker-board so that the corn can be culti vated in every direction,this being due entirely to the accurate and simple means provided forchecking the rows in combination l5 with the mechanism for seeding.

A still further object is the provision oi a machine of this kind inwhich only a single cable is used and in which all adjustments al'e madenot with or through the cable, but

through the pockets on the pocket Wheels by adding to or takingtherefrom. This is a distinctive feature and an improvement overmachines heretofore and at present in use in which adjustments are andhave been made entirely by means of cables.

Still other objects are to provide a machine of this kind in which thetripping instead of being done by the cable is performed by the seedpockets.

Still further objects are the provisions of light-draft, durable machinewithout any complicated parts and that can be made and marketed at asaving of approximately forty per cent of the cost of the machines at S5present in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consistsessentially or' the improved combination and arrangement of partsdescribed in the present specification and illustrated by theaccompanyingdrawings that form part of the same.

Referring to the drawings, in'which like characters of referenceindicatecorresponding parts in each ligure, and in which:

Figure 2 is a top plan view. Figure 3 is a rear elevation with front andrear discs removed for clarity. y

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the seed box. f i. y

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the seed box. f Figure 6 is anendview of the same, showing in full lines the position of the leverwhen the seed box is closed.

Figure 7 is a top plan view.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine.'

ied form or" the pocket wheel showing in.

steadot the pocket supporting brackets 18 a continuous inner rim towhich the pockets are secured. y

Figure 14 is a side elevation of the modiied iorm ot pocket adapted tofit the modiiied pocket wheel as shown in Figure 16.

Figure 15 is an end elevation ot the modii fied forml ot pocket.

In the drawings, A indicates a suitable frame supported on wheels B andand adapted to be motor driven or drawn as here shown by suitabletractive means such as horses winch may be connected to the tongue. D isthe axle on which the wheels B and C are loosely mounted, While iixedlymounted thereon are pocket wheels 12 and 13 of lesser diameter than thetractor wheels and provided on their peripheries at spaced interl valswith projecting forked members 14designed to engage with the spacedlinked joints of a marking cable 15, hereinafter more fully described.

Adjacent to these forked members 14: and carried on the inside of thepocket wheels are seed pockets 17 arranged at predetermined spacedintervals and adapted in operation to deposit or discharge the seed-cornin regulated quantities and at equally spaced intervals. These pocketsare adapted to one oi the Y project beyond the periphery ot the `wheelsand slightly beyond the forked or cablegripping members la and, withouttouching the ground, are designed to deposit the seed corn therein, asabove mentioned.

The improved form of these pockets is shown in detail in Figures 8, 9,10 and 11 and comprises a. single hopper-shaped pocket 17 adapted to besupported from suitable crossbrackets `18 carriedv by the pocket wheels.For the distribution of seed each pocket is provided with a shutterorsupported by the hinge 20L the lower portion of which is riveted to thedoor 19, while the upper portion 20h is riveted to the stationaryportion 17a of the seed box. In ordoor 19,`

der that the door 19 be normally retained in closed position I provide aspring 21, the loop end of which contacts with the door 19, while thecentre portion is coiled around the luitably supported pin 22, to extendupward- 1y where the ends engage the portion 17* of the ,seed box.Adjacent the door 1S) and supported in any suitable manner within theseed box7 is a transvcrwcly extending lever 23. to which is secured bythe U-shaped clip ill the door operatingr cam As partielllarl)`illustrated in Figure il. the lever arm Q8 extends outwardly 'trom thebox and upwardly therefrom to 'torni the lever Q5. It will therefore beseen that as the lever '25 is moved or depressed drnvnwardly7 the cam n,with projection 25a. vill cause the door 10 lo open7 as indicated bydotted lines in Figures 13 and 1l, permittingr the seed to bedischarged. Then as the lever Q5 is released` the action ol' the spring;l1 `will automatically close the door. Q6 is an adjustable tappet memberdesigned lo operate the seed 'feed mechanism and is secured lo the sideolE the pocket 17 by bolts QT tluough a seriesv of perforations in theside. The seed box is designated Q8 and is adapted to feed the seedclear ot the pockets 1T (see Figures il. 5, 6 and 7) by means ofmechanism comprisving a` reciprocally controlled side Q9 mounted withina guideway with openings 31 and 32 in the guideway and slide adapted toregister at a certain point to permit passage ofthe seed corn. The slideQ9 is spring;r held in normal position (see Figure 5) by a springconnected at one end to a link 341, and, at the other end, to a linkmember 35 in turn connected to a pivot-ally mounted rod 3G verticallysupported by brackets 3T and 88 on the outside of the seed bo); and'formed at the lower end with an arm 39 designed to contact with thetappet member .26 to ensure the return of the slide :29 to normalposition.

The spring means, above mentioned, include spiral springs Al() and Lilhaving their ends extending downwardly to contact with the link ill, andupwardly to connect with the link On the side of the box are pins 4-:2for mounting the springs. The opposite end of the slide to thespring-connected end is adapted to be engaged and moved inwardly by thetappet member 2G.

The seed b Hes are connected to fertilizer hoppers which, as they formthe subject mater of a separate invention neednot be described in detailbeyond mentioning that they are pivotally adjustable and, as will beexplained later`r adapted to be moved inwardly to put the seedinglmechanism out of operation, and outwardly to put the seeding mechanisminto operation.

The marking cable 15 is formed of flexible material preferably as hereshown of metal, and in short links 45 provided, also preferahly withswivel-joints 16. This cable is designed to engage with the forkedmemher.-y 14 one at a time and at a point just in front of the linkjoints.

The cable 'l5 is lixedly secured in the ground at one end by a pin 47 orotherwise and is then tensioned to engage with one of the fork membersou the pocket wheel Afrom whence it is loosely extended across the fieldremaining unsecured at its loose end.

Forni the Aforefafoing it. will be seen that, when the machine travelsforward on the loosely mounted tractor wheels B and (l. pressure againstthis l'orward movement will he innncdiateiy exerted through the engagement ot the cable with the pocket Vwheel h v means of the forked membersthereon, and that this` pressure will cause the pocket wheels to rotateas the machine jnoreeds. thereby demoniratingl the control ot the cableover the pocket wlicclw. llorcover, as this operation -ontinues and thclorlicil members individually cngg'ajre the cahhn the seed pocketadjacent to the forked mcnr ber in engage/rement with the cable is inporsition to depolit (he reed corn neatly and surely in thc space orhill for which it is intended.

liurthcrmore the rotation of the pocket wheels will cause the tappct`member '2G to lirst engage with the slides Q9, as illustrated in Figurel, moving it inwardly to open po sition with the aperture 3Q thereinregistering with the opening lll, permitting the seed to be delivered tothe seed pocket. With the in 'ard movement ot the slide 2E) the lever39, through the bell crank Al0--l1 and links 34 and 35, assumes aposition transverse to the line of travel of the machine, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 9, where it is in a position to bef-truck by the travelling tappety member QG to cause it to assume aposition parallel to the line ol travel ol the machine. at the same timeojierutineT through the bell crank lever and links the slide 2f) to moveoutwardly to the closed position shown in Figures 4 and W'hen thejourney across the lield is completed, the loose end of the cable issecuredV at the beginning of the next row and the machine turned aboutand driven hack along the saine cable, the end originally fixed remaining so until reached on the return journey Without any disadvantageor deviation by the machine on account of the cables slack.

While the above operation is proceeding, the disc means, which arehereinafter more fully described, are also operated to first trench theground as the machine proceeds and then, after the seed corn andfertilizer is deposited, to close the trenches and complete the seedingoperation.

65 is asecond operating lever designed to cont-rol the gear of the feedboxes by movbil llh

lili

ing the fertilizer hoppers 43 on which the former are mounted inwardlyor outwardly. To maintain the pivotal point at'wliich the fertilizerhoppers are adjusted or to move these hoppers inwardly so that thetappet members 26 will not operate the seed boxes. The hoppers arelaterally adjustable by mountingp the base boards 66 on a guideway 67,which may or may not have rollers 68 to support the hoppers. Inwardmovement of each hopper is performed by means of the lever 65 mounted onthe tongue 69 and provided with cranks 70 having spring-actuating means71. The cranks 70 are formed with downwardly turned ends 72 extendingthrough slots 7 3 in suitable brackets 74 connected to the side of thebase board 66.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the coil spring 71 is designedto hold the hoppers and seed boxes securely in position while themachine is in operation. The

backward movement of the lever 65 moves the hoppers and seed boxes intoposition witl the pocket wheels for planting, and the forward movementoit' the lever retires the hoppers and the seed bones -from said wheels.

Referring to Figures 13, 14 and l5, and in which a modiiied :torni ofpocket wheel and ypocket are shown, it will be noted that the pocketwheels in Figure 13 is provided with a continuous inner rim 18 to whichthe pockets 17 are secured and which constitutes supporting meansindependent of the pocket wheel spokes and whereby all adjustments aremade through the pocketsbeing added to or taken therefrom.

The modified Ltorm of pocket illustrated in Figures la and 15 to .titthis construction entails some minor alterations in construct-i011 asshown at 18b in the block on' the pocket designed to receivetherethrough the securing bolts 18e, and lower down on the pocket;

the bent arm 18d adapted, in combination with secure means therethroughand through the periphery of the wheel 12, 13, to hold the pocket inspaced relationship thereto.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely diiferent embodiments of my invention within the scopeof the claims, constructed without departing from the-spirit or scopethereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theaccompanyingfspecication and drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. A seed dispensing devicecoinprisinga frame, a seed `box mounted on the frame, a

shaft rotatably mounted insaidV frame, a

pocket wheel carried by said shaft, a plurality of spaced grippingmembers on the pocket wheel, a cable adapted to engage individually withsaid members to rotate the pocket wheels, a plurality of said pockets atspaced intervals on said wheel, an opening in the base of said seed box,an apertured slide adapted to open and close the base, operatingmechanism for said slide including a lever, and a tappet carried by eachseed pocket adapted in the rotation of .said pockets to iirst engagewith the slide 'to open the seed boi; and then engage with said lever toclose said box, and means for opening the seed pockets simultaneouslywith Y the closing of ,the seed box.

2. The planter as claimed iii claim 1,. in which said operatingmechanismcomprises a bell crank lever fulcruined upon one side of the box, a linkconnecting one armof said bell crank lever with the slide, a second linkconnected to the other end otsaid bell crank lever, a lever rockablymounted on one side of the seed boX having at one end a portion adapted,in one position of its movement, to assume a. position underneath theseed box transverse to the direction of rotation of the wheel and, atanother point of its movement, a position parallel with the direction ofrotation, said lever having a portionl connected at its other end withsaid second link.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT EDVIN FORSYTH.

